Best Time to Fly PHL to TPA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Philadelphia International → Tampa International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 72.9% of Philadelphia (PHL) to Tampa (TPA) flights arrived on time (2,652 scheduled flights). That is 4.7 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 76.5%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 70.3%.
November has been the best month (78% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (67%).
1.9% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
PHL to TPA on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 76.5% | 55 min | 1.3% | 153 |
| American Airlines | 73.9% | 80 min | 2.0% | 1,705 |
| Frontier Airlines | 70.3% | 86 min | 1.9% | 794 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly PHL to TPA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 5,298 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 84.1% | 2.8% | 214 |
| 6am–7am | 85.3% | 2.0% | 341 |
| 7am–8am | 86.2% | 1.6% | 319 |
| 8am–9am | 78.8% | 2.2% | 682 |
| 9am–10am | 81.5% | 4.8% | 125 |
| 10am–11am | 79.1% | 1.8% | 274 |
| 11am–12pm | 77.8% | 2.0% | 649 |
| 12pm–1pm | 70.1% | 1.7% | 180 |
| 1pm–2pm | 71.4% | 1.2% | 342 |
| 2pm–3pm | 66.4% | 2.1% | 429 |
| 3pm–4pm | 67.6% | 1.1% | 281 |
| 4pm–5pm | 66.4% | 1.7% | 119 |
| 5pm–6pm | 59.0% | 6.3% | 190 |
| 6pm–7pm | 59.9% | 3.7% | 513 |
| 7pm–8pm | 59.4% | 2.0% | 493 |
| 8pm–9pm | 76.9% | 0.9% | 105 |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 32 | |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 10 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on PHL to TPA
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 76.5% | +1.9 pts | 0.0% | 98 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 63.4% | -11.3 pts | 0.8% | 235 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 65.0% | -9.6 pts | 3.9% | 797 |
| All other days | 74.6% | — | 2.2% | 4,168 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).